Do you use any items pictured here? Click a product to see its biodiversity ingredient!

Origin: Asia

Quick Fact

This vegetable is a fuzzy plant, with large leaves and small flowers. It is crushed to get oil and also used as a protein source for livestock and human food.

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Crayons are sometimes made from soybeans?

Origin: Africa

Quick Fact

These seeds, which are only about one-eighth of an inch long, have no cholesterol and lots of protein and are found inside tiny plant pods along the stem.

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Sesame seeds pop out of the pod when it's ripe?

Origin: Mediterranean

Quick Fact

This tree can live for over 500 years, and produces little fruits called olives. The oil from the olives can be used in cooking, skin care products, and more.

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Olive branches have been used throughout time to symbolize peace?

Origin: South America

Quick Fact

This plant can grow in poor soil. In many countries, this root is a major ingredient for bread, soup, and other foods.

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Most cassava roots need to be sliced, grated, washed, and pressed before they're safe to eat?

Origin: Oceans and seas around the world

Quick Fact

This aquatic plant can be a resting place for seabirds and provide shelter and a meal for small fish. Some types form large rafts that can cover massive areas over a thousand miles wide.

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Some seaweed can be used to make ice cream and toothpaste?

Origin: North America

Quick Fact

These stalks are used to feed animals, and the kernels can be ground up to make food like tortillas, chips, and bread.

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Corn starch is used to make spark plugs, which help cars run?

Origin: Africa

Quick Fact

These bean-like seeds are found in pulpy fruit that have a thick outer skin and grow on coffee plants.

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Coffee mixed with chocolate is called mocha?

Origin: Asia

Quick Fact

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of evergreen laurel trees. Pieces of bark that are higher up on the tree can be dried. Pieces of bark lower down can be ground into cinnamon powder.

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Cinnamon is used in some perfume and oils?

Origin: Asia

Quick Fact

Rice comes from plants that grow in fields called paddies. The plant has long, pointed leaves and seeds that can be eaten. It has been used to make many things from thatch roofs to cosmetics.

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About half the world's population eats rice in most of their meals?

Origin: Africa

Quick Fact

This tree has brown pods that can grow up to 8 inches long with juicy insides. People have found uses for every part of this tree.

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Tamarind bark can be burned to make ink?

Origin: South America

Quick Fact

These beans come from football-sized pods that sprout directly from tree trunks! They are hard as rock but have sweet insides filled with dozens of bean-like seeds, which are then fermented, dried, and roasted to make chocolate.

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Cacao beans were once used as money?

Origin: North America

Quick Fact

The tree's bark and leaves helped in the development of aspirin. The trees can grow more than 50 feet high and usually grow near water.

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Black willow wood was once used to make artificial limbs?

Origin: Australia

Quick Fact

This tree is not only a resting place for pythons and koalas, it also contains an ingredient that is used to help treat cold symptoms.

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A cough drop may have eucalyptus oil in it?

Origin: Asia

Quick Fact

This spice comes from the root of the ginger plant. It can be fried, chopped, boiled, pickled, dried, and squeezed to make juice.

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People eat ginger to help fight nausea?

Origin: Asia

Quick Fact

This plant has narrow, yellow-green branches, and can have poisonous cones that look like berries. Used in traditional medicine, it can be very dangerous if people misuse it.

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Ephedra has been used to make medicine in Asia for thousands of years?